Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US) a shop tout.

1842

N.Y. Herald 27 Apr. 2/4: He was accosted opposite one of the old clo’ establishments marked No. 111, by one of the ‘pungies’ attached to the premises named William Prentice, who endeavored to force him into the store to compel him to buy a lot of old clothes whether he would or not.